Yui's Worst Moment
by timtam2400
Summary: During a get-together during high school, Yui's playful teasing gets Azusa in a bad car accident. Will she survive? (Re-uploaded after much messing around)
1. Impact

**Yui's Worst Moment**

This story takes place during the Light Music Club's third year.

The sun began rising, signalling the start of another day. As the sky lightened, the sun's rays fell on the Hirasawa household. Inside, one of the family members began stirring. Opening her eyes, she sat up and stretched out the kinks.

Humming a familiar song to herself, Ui Hirasawa went about the business of readying herself for the day. After tying her hair back in its signature ponytail, she knocked on her sister's bedroom door before going in. "Onee-chan? It's time for you to get up now." Yui Hirasawa groaned and sat up. Facing her sister, she gave a sleepy "Okay Ui" before dropping back down again. Sighing, Ui walked up to Yui's bed. Hmm, oh I know. Stooping down, she whispered, "If you don't wake up now onee-chan, you won't be able to see Azusa-chan."

That single statement was all that was needed. Yui immediately jumped out of bed and raced around the house getting ready. Smiling at her sister's gullibility, Ui proceeded to finish her own preparations. Donning her shoes at the door, she joined her sister outside, who was hopping frantically while eating some toast. "Ready to go?" the younger sister asked. Yui answered by grabbing Ui's wrist and pulling her along. "Let's go, let's go!" she said. The two started running to the bus stop where they had planned to meet their friends.

At their destination, four other girls waited for their friends to arrive. Looking at her watch, Mio Akiyama sighed. "I wonder if she'll show up on time today", she said. An arm found its way over her shoulders. "Relax Mio. She's got Ui, remember? There's no way she'll be late." Ritsu Tainaka assured her friend with a large grin on her face. "You're one to talk Ritsu. I had to practically drag you out of bed." Mio replied while karate chopping the drummer's head. A giggle from Tsumugi Kotobuki drew their gaze. The airheaded keyboardist always enjoyed watching the two bicker.

The youngest of the gaggle, Azusa Nakano, paid no heed to them. She merely kept an eye out for her sempai and her sister. She and Yui were very good friends, but Yui had an annoying tendency to smother Azusa with love, much to her distaste. Hearing approaching footsteps, she said "I think they're here." Sure enough, around the corner came the Hirasawa sisters. "Azu-nyan~!" Yui called as she dove on her kouhai and started showering her with love. "Ugh. Yui-sempai, please! Cut it out!" Azusa exclaimed, pushing her away.

"Boo, boo Azu-nyan. You're so mean." Yui pouted. Ui smiled at the scene. She knew that Azusa cared very deeply for Yui, but being a typical tsundere, she tried not to let it show. "So, was Jun not able to come?" Mugi asked. "No, she's taking supplementary lessons since she's behind the rest of us." Ui replied. "Well, there's not much we can do about that, so let's just have a good time." Mio piped in. There were nods all around.

"Right! Time to get moving!" Ritsu boomed, marching ahead of the group. Heading to the mall, they exchanged chit-chat. At times laughter would erupt from them. Yui smiled as she watched her friends mingling. This is wonderful. I really hope we can have more moments like this. "Yui-sempai?" Her thoughts were interrupted by Azusa's call. The young cat-like girl looked at her friend, curious. "Oh, sorry Azu-nyan. Just enjoying the moment." Yui said, continuing to smile.

"Yui-sempai, could you PLEASE stop calling me that?" Azusa asked, peeved at the nickname Yui had christened her with since she had started high school. "Oh come on Azu-nyan, It's cute, just like you." "I'd prefer it if you just referred to me by my real name instead." "Come on, don't be like that." Yui pulled out a pair of very familiar cat ears. "Well, if you're going to say that, why don't you just put these on then? Then I'll call you 'Azusa'". Azusa reeled at the sight of what Yui was holding. "Y-Yui-sempai, why did you bring those along?" Her sempai moved closer.

She then felt someone grab her shoulders. "Come on. You know you want to Azusa." Ritsu said, grinning. Yui came closer, ready to slip the ears on. Azusa got desperate. Stamping on Ritsu's foot, she raced away with her eyes closed, Yui giving chase. "NO!" Azusa yelled, running unknowingly into the street, "I AM NOT WEARING THEM IN PUBLIC!" "Come on Azu-nyan. Please~" "ONEE-CHAN! LOOK OUT!" Ui screamed. Yui stopped and then saw it.

A car was barreling towards her, the driver overly drunk. Time seemed to slow down. Yui watched in stunned silence as the vehicle approached. The sound of her heartbeat filled her ears. She thought she could hear Mio yelling something, but she couldn't discern what it was. The guitarist remained frozen, her life flashing before her eyes. Suddenly, she felt a pair of small hands on her side. Before she could fathom what was happening, she was pushed to one side.

Yui fell onto the street, the cat ears dropping near her. Hitting her head on the hard asphalt, she blacked out. Standing where she had been moments before was Azusa, arms outstretched. Before she could move herself out of the way, the car collided with her. Azusa fell onto the bonnet of the vehicle, rolled across the windscreen and then flew into the air. Her limbs flailed wildly, like a rag doll. After what seemed like an eternity, she landed on the road, hard. The impact knocked her unconscious. The driver continued driving, too intoxicated to notice anything.

As the vehicle passed through an intersection, the other girls ran over, having been unfortunate witnesses to what had just happened. "Onee-chan. Onee-chan." Ui called, shaking her sister. The brunette was completely out of it. Ritsu then ran over to Azusa, dreading what she would see. The poor girl was a mess. Her leg was bent at an odd angle, obviously broken. Blood flowed gashes on her head and from her mouth. "Guys? Azusa's in a bad way." she said in a shaky voice, unsure of what to do.

"Check whether she's got a pulse." Mugi instructed as calmly as possible, calling for an ambulance. Mio simply stood there in shock, trembling. She could not believe what she had just seen. "Onee-chan? Onee-chan!" Ui called, shaking her sister firmly. There was no response. "Mio-chan. Can you help me get her off the road?" she asked Mio. "Sh-she's not bleeding or anything, is she?" "MIO, WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT!" Ritsu yelled in her direction. After some hesitation, Mio went to lend a hand. Ritsu then felt Azusa's wrist. She felt a faint beat, which meant Azusa was still alive. She breathed a sigh of relief. "She's still alive."

Hearing more cars coming, she ran to the intersection and did her best to divert traffic. A few minutes later, an ambulance came. The paramedics quickly pulled out a stretcher and got Azusa on it. After bundling her into the back of the ambulance, joined by Ui (and being assured by the others that they would take care of Yui), they pulled away, siren blaring. Ritsu and Mugi then ran back to Yui. The girl was slowly coming to. "Yui-chan, can you hear me?" Mugi asked. The guitarist groaned, then opened her eyes. "Uuh. What happened?" she asked. Sitting up, she felt a sharp pain shoot through her skull. "Ow." "Easy Yui. You had a hard fall just now." Mio said, supporting her friend as best she could. After the pain subsided, Yui slowly got to her feet. The others stood ready to catch her if she fell. After 2-3 minutes, Yui looked at her friends. "What happened?" She then looked around. "Where's Azu-nyan? Wasn't she just with us?"

Her friends all looked at each other, Then Mio spoke up. "Yui, I don't know how to tell you this, but Azusa was in an accident." she explained slowly. Yui looked at her friend. "What?" "She was hit by a car." Yui looked at her with a puzzled expression. "Hit by a car? What do you…?" Suddenly the memories started coming back to her. Her chasing Azusa with the cat ears, running onto the road, a car heading towards her, someone pushing her aside.

She looked at the road and saw the blood stain. Looking back at her friends, she struggled to find words. Ritsu then showed her the cat ears, dented but still somehow intact. Seeing them, Yui fell briefly silent. After a few seconds, she spoke up again. "No. It's not true. This is a joke, right? Just a big joke?" she asked her friends, her heart tightening. They shook their heads. "I'm sorry Yui. It's not a joke. " Mio said. Again, words failed Yui.

She simply dropped onto her hands and knees and stared at the sidewalk. Azu-nyan...hit by a car... As she repeated those words in her mind, she felt tears forming. As the full weight of what had happened and the Mio's words sank in, the tears started falling. "Azu-nyan…Azu-nyan…" As if a dam had broken open, she threw her head back and cried "AZU-NYAAAAAAAAAAAANN!" before breaking down.


	2. Depression

Mugi carried a tray with some tea and cakes to the living room. Mio and Ritsu sat silently, thinking about the accident. They had helped Yui return home, after which she ran upstairs and disappeared into her room. No one followed, thinking it best to just leave her be. "That hit looked pretty bad. Do you think she's gonna be okay?" Ritsu asked, trying to start a conversation. When she got no reply, she fell quiet again. Silence filled the room, punctuated only by the clinks of their cups hitting their saucers as they drank their tea. They could not find words to say.

Upstairs, Yui lay on her bed, tightly clutching her pillow to her chest. She had never felt so devastated in her life. This is all my fault! If only I hadn't tried making her wear those stupid cat ears, she wouldn't have…she wouldn't have… Tears reappearing, she cried into her pillow.

After some time, there was a knock on her door. "Yui-chan? Can I come in?" It was Mugi. When Yui didn't answer, she opened the door. "Yui-chan? I've got some tea and cake here for you." The guitarist simply turned to stare blankly at the wall. After a bit of hesitation, Mugi walked to her bed. "Yui. I am so sorry about what happened with Azusa-chan. But please don't beat yourself up so much about it. No one could have known something like that would happen. We don't blame you at all." Her attempt at consoling her grieving friend received no reply. Setting the tea and cake down on Yui's bedside dresser, she turned to leave, then stopped. "Ui is with Azusa right now, so she's not alone. Please try to eat something." She then left the room to give Yui some more time and returned to Mio and Ritsu.

They looked up when they heard her footsteps. Mugi shook her head. "She's incredibly upset. She didn't say a word to me." Suddenly she felt tears welling up in her eyes. Wiping them away had no effect, as they kept coming. Feeling her legs trembling, she fought back the urge to cry. Seeing this, Mio simply said, "Don't hold it back Mugi. You'll feel better if you let it out." When Mugi heard this, she dropped to the floor. "Azusa-chan…Yui-chan…" Dropping her restraints, she started crying. Mio and Ritsu looked at each other briefly, then Ritsu stood up. Walking to her crying friend, she knelt down and pulled her into a hug. Mugi clutched her friend, sobbing uncontrollably. Minutes passed, then Mio's phone started ringing.

Flipping it open to check the caller's name, her spirits lifted slightly when she saw Ui's name. "Hi, Ui. How's she doing?" Mugi's head snapped up at Ui's name.

"She's got a double fracture in her leg, some cracked ribs, a bruised wrist bone, and a possible concussion. She's in surgery at the moment. I don't know how long it'll take." "But she's still alive?" Mio asked. "Yes, she is." was the reply. "Okay, thanks for the update." "Sure. How's my sister doing?" Ui then asked, concerned for Yui. Mio sighed. "She's taken it extremely hard. She's been in her room since we got her home." "Oh…Well, please do what you can for her. I'll text you when Azusa comes out of surgery." "Thanks Ui. By the way, how are you doing with all this?" "Well, I will admit that I'm worried, but I'm managing to hang in there." "Ui? Listen. If you feel the urge to cry, please don't fight it, okay?" "Of course."

Hanging up, Mio relayed the news to the others. "Well, at least we'll know she'll make it." Ritsu said with a small smile. "Yeah." Mio replied. "I'm going to see Ui-chan." Mugi said suddenly. The other two were surprised at this. "Mugi, are you sure?" "Yes. She no doubt needs some support too." "A-alright. Do you want us to come with you?" Mugi shook her head. "No, you should stay here. I don't really want Yui-chan left alone." Ritsu placed her hands on her friend's shoulders. "I'm sure she'll be okay by herself for a while. We can just tell her where we're going." Unsure, Mugi pondered this. "Let's do it." Mio agreed. "I think Yui just needs some time alone right now, so I don't see much harm in leaving her here. When she feels up to it, I'm sure she'll come join us." With nods all round, it was decided. Mio headed for the stairs. "You two wait by the door. I'll just let Yui know what's happening."

She made her way to Yui's room and knocked the door. "Yui?" Like before, there was only silence. "Yui, we're heading to the hospital now to see Ui. If you feel able later, come join us, okay?" Deciding to leave things at that, Mio rejoined Ritsu and Mugi, and the friends headed out. They walked in silence, not knowing what to say. After a while, Mio's cell phone vibrated. Checking it, she saw that she had received a text from Ui. After reading it and replying, she started running. "Mio? Wait up!" A surprised Ritsu and Mugi ran to catch up. "What's going on? Why are we running?" the drummer asked. Mio looked at her with a smile. "Azusa's just come out of surgery." "For real?" "Yes. Let's hurry."

Double-timing it, they arrived at the hospital in short order. After consulting the front desk, they hurried to Azusa's room in Intensive Care. Ui stood outside, waiting for them. "Ui!" Mio called. Spotting them, Ui smiled and waved. "Hey. Glad you could make it."

Mio then noticed that Ui's eyes were slightly red. "I'm glad you took my advice." "Huh? Oh." She blushed slightly. "It was a bit embarrassing crying in a public place like this, but I did feel a bit better after it." "Glad to hear it."

She then looked towards the door. "Is she awake?" she asked. "No, she's still asleep, so you won't be able to talk to her. If you want, you can still see her, though it won't be a pretty sight." Ui answered. Mio looked back at Ritsu and Mugi. Briefly glancing at each other, they nodded at Mio, indicating that they were ready to see Azusa. Stepping aside, Ui motioned them in. Steeling herself, Mio led the way. The bassist was usually not good with anything macabre or injury related, but she knew she had to be strong, for herself and the others. Besides, if Ritsu tried anything, she would get it good. The sound of a heart monitor hit their ears as they entered.

Walking up to the bed, Mio, Ritsu and Mugi saw their small friend sleeping motionless. Azusa's body was wrapped with casts and bandages, an IV tube snaked its way into her uninjured arm and an oxygen line ran from her nose. Her broken leg hung suspended above the bed. The sight proved too much for Mugi, and she started crying again, Ritsu again trying to comfort her.

"Azusa…" Mio muttered. She held Azusa's small hand in her own. "Azusa, I know you can get through this. Please know that we're all here for you, Yui especially. She's always thinking of you. I know you probably can't hear me, but I want you to know that we all love you Azusa. Yui loves you." She released her friend's hand and stood silent. Time passed, and then the group decided that they should all head home. Leaving the hospital, they each headed their separate ways home.

Walking alone, Ui's thoughts turned from Azusa to Yui. Onee-chan…Arriving home, she wondered what she could possibly do to help her sister. "Onee-chan? I'm home." she called. Receiving no response, she decided to see how Yui was doing. Nodding, she headed upstairs. Arriving at Yui's room, she knocked and called, "Onee-chan? It's me" before opening the door and heading into the room. Yui was still on the bed, clearly having not moved for a while. The tea and cake remained untouched. Ui headed over to her sister. "Onee-chan?" There was no response. "Onee-chan, please look at me." Ui said, placing her hand on Yui's shoulder. Slowly, Yui sat up and turned around. The sight that greeted Ui made her gasp. Yui's face was shrunken. There were drying tear tracks running down her cheeks. The pillow she was still clutching was damp from those same tears. Her eyes were bloodshot from all the crying she'd been doing and lacked their usual sparkle. The sight saddened the younger sister.

Grasping Yui's shoulder, Ui held her head up and looked her straight in the eyes. "Onee-chan. Listen to me. Everything's going to be all right. Please don't lose hope." she urged. Yui's lips moved slightly. "What?" Ui asked. "Alright?" Yui whispered. Ui cocked her head quizzically. "I can't hear you onee-chan. Speak up." Yui then swatted Ui's hand away. "ALRIGHT?! HOW CAN YOU SAY EVERYTHING WILL BE ALRIGHT?!" she yelled. "AZU-NYAN WAS HIT BY A CAR! THOSE KIND OF ACCIDENTS KILL PEOPLE..." Yui stopped mid-sentence. Throwing the pillow to one side, she jumped up and clambered for the window. Stunned at her sister's outburst, Ui was momentarily motionless. As soon as she saw her sister throw open the window though, she realized what was happening. Moving fast, she grabbed Yui around her waist. "Onee-chan, no! Don't do it!" Yui struggled to pull free. "Let me go! I don't want to live knowing that I killed my best friend!" "Onee-chan..." "Just let me die, Ui!" Desperate, Ui screamed the news that she hoped would calm her sister down. "AZUSA-CHAN IS NOT DEAD!"

Yui immediately froze. Unfortunately, Ui was still trying to pull her back, so the two flew backwards onto the floor. "Ow, ow, ow." Ui moaned, sitting up and rubbing her head. "Ui, what did you just say?" Yui asked quietly. Looking down on her sister's face, Ui saw what looked like disbelief in Yui's eyes. "Onee-chan, Azusa-chan is alive. She's not dead." Yui quickly sat up and looked at her sister. "Are... you telling the truth? She's alive?" Ui nodded. "Yes. It's true." Yui was silent as she processed this piece of information. "Onee-chan? Is every...Wait! Where are you going?" As Ui was talking, Yui sprang to her feet and ran out of the room. Jamming her shoes on by the door, she left the house. Azu-nyan's alive...Azu-nyan's alive... she repeated in her head. The guitarist ran with the speed of an arrow, adrenaline coursing through her. People who were out glanced at her as she ran by, wondering what she was in a rush for. Further back, Ui was running to catch up to Yui. At least she's got her energy back she thought, smiling slightly.

Minutes later, Yui reached the hospital. Panting heavily, she stopped to collect her thoughts. The pause allowed Ui to catch up. "Onee-chan, I don't think…I've ever seen…you run that fast since…the school marathon." she said smiling. Her sister briefly grinned back, sweating heavily. She then proceeded to the front desk. "Excuse me…I'm a friend of…Azusa Nakano. Could you…tell me where she is?" "Certainly." The receptionist typed on her computer. "Here we go. She's in ICU, room 220. Just head down that corridor." She pointed in the direction she was referring to. "Thank you." Yui said. Grabbing Ui, she began running again. After some brief confusion, the two stood outside the room.

Yui stood still, breathing deeply. "Onee-chan, are you sure you're ready for this?" Ui asked, concerned. "I'll…be alright Ui. I want to see her anyway." Yui's seriousness slightly shocked Ui. The normally carefree, smiling sister she knew was gone. Considering what she'd been through that day, it wasn't surprising though. Gathering herself for what she was about to see, Yui stepped into the room. Looking around, she spotted Azusa's bed and walked over. No matter what I see, I need to keep myself together she thought. When she saw the state Azusa was in, however, the sadness and guilt flooded in again, and she felt tears starting to well up again. Clenching her hands into fists, she struggled to keep her composure. Ui saw this.

"Onee-chan, you don't have to hold it back like that. It's okay to cry." "I can't." her sister whispered. "If I start now, I may not be able to stop." "It doesn't matter. I'm sure the other would tell you to cry as well. And Azusa-chan wouldn't want to see you like this either." Ui pressed. Her shoulders shaking, Yui looked at Azusa again. "Azu-nyan..." she whispered. Her resistance finally crumbling, she cried "AZU-NYAN!" and threw herself onto Azusa. Ui could only watch as her sister broke down again.

Several hours later...

The evening air was filled with the sound of cicadas. Yui sat on her chair in her bedroom, resting her head on her arms. The thoughts of everything that had transpired that day ran through her head like a video stuck on repeat. Since she and Ui had returned from the hospital, she had tried various means to distract herself from her pain. TV, studying (believe it or not), conversing with her sister, calling the others to chat, even playing Gitah. All had little effect. She could not keep the memories away. There was then a knock at the door. "Onee-chan? Dinner's almost ready if you feel like it." Ui called. "Thanks, but I'm not very hungry." Yui replied.

"…Well, I'll put it in the fridge so you can have it later then." Her footsteps faded and Yui was left alone again. Sighing, she stood up and walked over to Gitah. Putting the strap over her shoulders, she again tried to focus on something other than Azusa. Plucking a few strings, she began to play Fude Pen ~Boru Pen~. For a short while, she was able to keep her mind off Azusa. However, once she finished the song, the image of her injured friend filled her mind's eye again. A sob built up in her chest and fresh tears filled her eyes. Throwing her guitar to one side, she dropped to her hands and knees. "Why Azu-nyan?" she whispered. "Why Azu-nyan?" Her hands balled into fists.

"Why Azu-nyan?!" The image of Azusa flashed in front of her eyes. Throwing her head back, she yelled at the top of her lungs. "WHY AZU-NYAN?!" Completely losing it, she started grabbing her various possessions and throwing them around her room, all the time shouting "WHY?!" Downstairs, Ui had just finished storing Yui's portion of dinner when she heard the commotion. Wondering what was going on, she ran upstairs to Yui's room. Throwing the door open, she narrowly avoided getting hit in the face with a manga. "Onee-chan!" Yui's anguish as she threw things about shocked Ui.

Suddenly, Yui picked up Gitah and went to throw it. Ui flew over and grabbed the instrument. "No onee-chan! If you throw your guitar, it'll break and you'll have nothing to play!" she said desperately, trying to calm Yui down. Yui seemed too far gone to listen to reason. Ui struggled to hold her back. "Onee-chan, please! What would Azusa-chan do if she saw you?!" Mentioning the name 'Azusa' froze Yui in place. Seizing the opportunity, Ui pried the guitar from her sister's grasp and set it back on its stand. Looking back, she saw Yui crumbling. Thinking fast, Ui did the only thing she thought was appropriate: she went up to her sister and wrapped her arms around her. "Onee-chan, I promise you. Everything will be okay. Azusa-chan will make it through this." she said, holding Yui tightly. The tactic had an immediate effect. Yui clutched her sister and began sobbing again. "Azu-nyan…Ui, I'm so worried!" "Shh. Shh. It's okay. Don't say anything right now." Ui whispered. Yui fell silent. The two stayed in this embrace for several minutes until Yui calmed down.

After they had tidied Yui's room up, and Yui had washed her face, she agreed to try to eat something. After Ui got everything ready, they sat down to eat. Yui still had little appetite though, so after eating what she could, she pushed her plate back and stood up, saying "I'm done. Thanks for the food." "Are you sure you don't want any more, onee-chan?" Ui asked, still concerned for her sister. "No, I've had enough. I'm gonna take a bath." The brunette left the room. When she left, Ui finished her meal and tidied up the dishes. Onee-chan, what can I do to ease your pain? I hate not being able to help you in some way.

For the next few days, there was little change in Yui's mood. She would mull away the hours in gloomy silence, breaking down crying every so often. Her dreams were plagued by Azusa's battered body and nightmares of her friend being chased by cars. She would often wake up, drenched in sweat. Mio, Ritsu and Mugi did everything they could, trying to cheer her up, with little success. It became abundantly clear that Azusa's accident, and the fact that Yui herself had caused it, had crushed Yui, and the only thing that could break possibly her depression was Azusa waking up. Therefore, Ui took it upon herself to visit Azusa when she could, praying that the twin-tailed guitarist would wake up. On occasion, she would run into one of the others. Together, they would sit by Azusa and wait for the moment when she opened her eyes.


	3. Awakening

The evening air was filled with the sound of cicadas. Yui sat on her chair in her bedroom, resting her head on her arms. The thoughts of everything that had transpired that day ran through her head like a video stuck on repeat. Since she and Ui had returned from the hospital, she had tried various means to distract herself from her pain. TV, studying (believe it or not), conversing with her sister, calling the others to chat, even playing Gitah. All had little effect. She could not keep the memories away. There was then a knock at the door. "Onee-chan? Dinner's almost ready if you feel like it." Ui called. "Thanks, but I'm not very hungry." Yui replied.

"…Well, I'll put it in the fridge so you can have it later then." Her footsteps faded and Yui was left alone again. Sighing, she stood up and walked over to Gitah. Putting the strap over her shoulders, she again tried to focus on something other than Azusa. Plucking a few strings, she began to play Fude Pen ~Boru Pen~. For a short while, she was able to keep her mind off Azusa. However, once she finished the song, the image of her injured friend filled her mind's eye again. A sob built up in her chest and fresh tears filled her eyes. Throwing her guitar to one side, she dropped to her hands and knees. "Why Azu-nyan?" she whispered. "Why Azu-nyan?" Her hands balled into fists.

"Why Azu-nyan?!" The image of Azusa flashed in front of her eyes. Throwing her head back, she yelled at the top of her lungs. "WHY AZU-NYAN?!" Completely losing it, she started grabbing her various possessions and throwing them around her room, all the time shouting "WHY?!" Downstairs, Ui had just finished storing Yui's portion of dinner when she heard the commotion. Wondering what was going on, she ran upstairs to Yui's room. Throwing the door open, she narrowly avoided getting hit in the face with a manga. "Onee-chan!" Yui's anguish as she threw things about shocked Ui.

Suddenly, Yui picked up Gitah and went to throw it. Ui flew over and grabbed the instrument. "No onee-chan! If you throw your guitar, it'll break and you'll have nothing to play!" she said desperately, trying to calm Yui down. Yui seemed too far gone to listen to reason. Ui struggled to hold her back. "Onee-chan, please! What would Azusa-chan do if she saw you?!" Mentioning the name 'Azusa' froze Yui in place. Seizing the opportunity, Ui pried the guitar from her sister's grasp and set it back on its stand. Looking back, she saw Yui crumbling. Thinking fast, Ui did the only thing she thought was appropriate: she went up to her sister and wrapped her arms around her. "Onee-chan, I promise you. Everything will be okay. Azusa-chan will make it through this." she said, holding Yui tightly. The tactic had an immediate effect. Yui clutched her sister and began sobbing again. "Azu-nyan…Ui, I'm so worried!" "Shh. Shh. It's okay. Don't say anything right now." Ui whispered. Yui fell silent. The two stayed in this embrace for several minutes until Yui calmed down.

After they had tidied Yui's room up, and Yui had washed her face, she agreed to try to eat something. After Ui got everything ready, they sat down to eat. Yui still had little appetite though, so after eating what she could, she pushed her plate back and stood up, saying "I'm done. Thanks for the food." "Are you sure you don't want any more, onee-chan?" Ui asked, still concerned for her sister. "No, I've had enough. I'm gonna take a bath." The brunette left the room. When she left, Ui finished her meal and tidied up the dishes. Onee-chan, what can I do to ease your pain? I hate not being able to help you in some way.

For the next few days, there was little change in Yui's mood. She would mull away the hours in gloomy silence, breaking down crying every so often. Her dreams were plagued by Azusa's battered body and nightmares of her friend being chased by cars. She would often wake up, drenched in sweat. Mio, Ritsu and Mugi did everything they could, trying to cheer her up, with little success. It became abundantly clear that Azusa's accident, and the fact that Yui herself had caused it, had crushed Yui, and the only thing that could break possibly her depression was Azusa waking up. Therefore, Ui took it upon herself to visit Azusa when she could, praying that the twin-tailed guitarist would wake up. On occasion, she would run into one of the others. Together, they would sit by Azusa and wait for the moment when she opened her eyes.

On the last day of the senior's break, Yui was lying on her bed, dreading going back to school . Our break ends after today, and Azu-nyan still isn't awake. If I have to leave, how will I get to see her when she comes to? We won't be able to play our guitars together... The guitarist suddenly sat up, hit by a sudden epiphany. Wait! If I can't reach her with words, then maybe... Leaping off her bed, she stuffed Gitah in its case, threw it on her back, and ran out the room. Jamming her shoes on, she pulled open the door, but was stopped by Ui's voice. "Onee-chan, where are you going?" Jogging on the spot, Yui simply said "The hospital" before running out. As she disappeared, Ui pondered over what had just happened. Onee-chan going to the hospital with her guitar? What is she... A light went off in her head. Of course! Hurrying to catch up to her sister, she got her shoes on, locked the house, and started running.

Later at the hospital...

Yui had just passed the front desk to head to Azusa's ward, when a voice stopped her. "Excuse me." Looking back, she saw the receptionist looking at her. "Yes?" Yui asked. "You're Ms. Nakano's friend, right?" "Yes, that's right." "Well if you're planning on seeing her, she's been moved from ICU to a general ward as we believe she's no longer critical." "Which room is she in now?" Checking her computer, the receptionist replied "room 100." and gave Yui directions. During this time, Ui arrived, and the sisters headed off. In minutes, they'd found their destination.

"Onee-chan, do you really think it'll wake her up?" Ui asked. "It has to. I don't know what else to do." Yui said, looping the strap over her shoulders. Facing her friend, she breathed deeply. "Azu-nyan, if you can hear me, I'm going to play a song for you. It's Stapler, the song we played when you started high school." Plucking the strings, she counted herself in. Soon the small room was filled with the sound of music, prompting gazes from the few patients that shared the room. Yui's voice rang out, shaky but determined. As she listened, Ui felt herself moved by the words more than usual. When Yui finished, there were claps all round. "Onee-chan, that was beautful." Ui said, wiping away a tear. "Thanks Ui." came the reply. Putting the guitar aside, Yui went to Azusa's side. She placed her hand on her friend's arm. "Azu-nyan, the others and I have to go back to school tomorrow, and I..." she chocked back a sudden sob, "...and I would...would really like to see you awake before we do. So please..." she dropped to her knees, tears forming, "...Azu-nyan, I'm begging you. I need you to open your eyes *sob*." Unable to speak anymore, she dropped her head.

Ui watched as her sister was overcome by grief again. Onee-chan... She then looked at Azusa's face. A sudden movement caught her eye. Ui looked closer. "Azusa-chan?" Hearing Azusa's name, Yui looked up. What she saw made her heart jump. Azusa tightened her eyes, groaning quietly, then they slowly opened. "Azu-nyan?" Yui said, standing up. Her friend turned her head in Yui's direction, her vision slowly clearing. "Y…Yui-sempai?" "Azu-nyan!" It was the best thing Yui could have asked for. Despite all that Azusa had been through, she was coming back to her. Ui meanwhile was sending 3 rapid-fire texts to Mio, Ritsu and Mugi. Finishing that, she grasped Azusa's uninjured hand. "Azusa-chan. Are you okay? Can you hear me?" The cat-like girl turned to her. "Ui-chan?" "Yes. I'm here. So is Onee-chan. We've all been so worried about you." Ui said, her heart filling with happiness. "What happened? Where am I?" Azusa asked, confused when she saw her surroundings. "You're in the hospital. You were hit by a car a few days ago."

"A…a car? Me?" "Yes. We were all there when it happened. It was awful." "Uuhh…that really happened? I…I don't remember it that well." "Azu-nyan." Yui said suddenly. Azusa looked at her. "Yui-sempai. You're here." Yui couldn't take it anymore. Again she wrapped her arms around the smaller girl, tears of joy forming. "Azu-nyan, I'm so sorry. This would never have happened if I hadn't tried forcing you to wear the cat ears. I'm so so sorry." the brunette said, hugging Azusa. The sound of running footsteps drew their attention to the door. Into the room came Mio, Ritsu and Mugi, all out of breath from running. "Azusa!" they all exclaimed. The next several minutes were filled with tears, smiles, hugs and general happiness all round, plus endless apologies from Yui.


	4. Separation

For the next several days, Azusa recieved daily visits from the seniors. Jun was told the story from Ui, and the two also made regular visits to see their friend's progress. Eventually, after a week, Azusa was discharged and allowed home. Her parents took shifts staying home with her. They also forbade Yui from seeing her, as they had been told what happened and were furious at her. This did sadden everyone, but they simply obliged and did not argue. This remained the situation for several weeks, even when Azusa returned to school. What was worse though, was that they didn't allow their daughter to continue club practice. She was even told to block Yui's cell number so she couldn't call or text her, which she did with a heavy heart.

After her wrist had healed sufficiently, Azusa began using crutches to get around. However, as Sakura High only had stairs, she was dependent on her fellow students for help getting to her homeroom. As she was unable to attend practice, she stopped taking her guitar to school with her. Breaking the news to the seniors was hard, for everyone. Yui was notified of everything by her friends and sister, and was crushed by all of it. She soon began barricading herself in her room when she was at home, emerging only to use the bathroom. Repeated attempts by Ui to bring her out of her depression proved futile. Not even Mio, Ritsu or Mugi could do anything to help their friend.

Time passed with little change on the situation. Yui's depression continued unabated, causing her grades to slip lower than normal. She lost the heart to go the Light Music Club after school, instead heading home and shutting herself away. There was nothing the others could do to cheer her up. One day after school, she picked up her bag and prepared to head home. Nearing the door, she was met with the others. "Yui? You're heading home again?" Mio asked. Yui replied with a faint nod, not meeting Mio's eyes. "Say, do you think you could come to the clubroom today for a change? You don't have to practice. We can just sit and have cake and tea, like we usually do." Ritsu asked with a smile. "...no thanks..." was the only response Yui gave, as she began to head off. "Yui, wait!" Mio said, grabbing her friend's shoulder. Yui suddenly swung around and swept Mio's hand away with her arm.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Shocked, the remaining students stared in silence. "Yui..." Calming down, Yui glanced briefly at her friends, then looked away. "I'm sorry everyone. Please...just leave me alone." With her head down, she headed off again. No-one spoke for a while. "It's even worse than we thought." Mugi piped up, "What can we do to help her?" "Let's go to the clubroom. We can talk there." Mio suggested. The other two nodded. Grabbing their things, they left the classroom. Outside, they bumped into Ui. "Is my sister there?" she asked. The seniors shook their heads. "I see." "We're heading to the clubroom now. You wanna come with?" Mio offered. "Sure."

Arriving at their destination, Mugi prepared tea. "How's Azusa-chan doing?" she asked Ui. Ui's expression lowered. "She misses Onee-chan terribly. I've sometimes heard her crying in the girl's bathroom. I even heard her on the phone once trying to convince her Mom to let them see each other again, but no luck." Ritsu banged her fist on the table, causing everyone to grab their cups. "DAMMIT! ISN'T THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO?!" "Ritsu. Please try to calm down." Mio urged her friend. Breathing deeply, Ritsu relaxed. "Sorry about that. This is all just so frustrating." the drummer said. "I know how you feel. We're all as upset as you are. Right now, we have to focus our energies into fixing this." There were nods all around. "So, anyone got any suggestions?"

Everyone thought hard. For several minutes, there was silence. Then, Ritsu spoke up. "Why don't we focus on Yui first? If we can get her to come out, maybe then we can work on getting her and Azusa back together." The other girls looked at each other, then nodded. "Right, then it's settled. On our next day off, we'll bring Yui out of her shell, even if we have to drag her out." With that, they all finished their tea, then headed home. Later that evening, Ui prepared dinner for her sister and carried up to her room on a tray. Setting it on the floor, she knocked the door. "Onee-chan? I've got some dinner here. I'll leave it out for you." As she started to leave, she stopped and added, "We're all going to help you get Azusa-chan back. I promise we'll find a way."

A few days later...

The doorbell rang out, and Ui came running. Opening the door, she was greeted with the sight of the seniors. "Come on in." she said, pulling out some slippers. "How's she doing?" Mugi asked. Ui's gaze dropped. "No change at all. She's barely eating, and I often hear her crying at night." This prompted worried glances from her friends. "Alright. We have got to stop this and get our friend back." Ritsu said firmly. Three heads nodded in agreement. Steeling themselves for whatever they were about to see, they made their way to Yui's room. Ui knocked and called out. "Onee-chan? Your friends have come to see you." Hearing no answer, she opened the door. Heading in, they were surprised to find the room dark.

Yui was lying on her bed, facing the wall. "Yui?" Mio called. "How are you feeling?" Getting no response, she walked over to the curtains and pulled them open. Yui immediately curled up as the light hit her. "Come on Yui! Rise and shine!" Ritsu announced, grabbing the guitarist and pulling her up. Yui simply pulled herself free and curled up again. "If you don't get up, I'm gonna tickle you!" Ritsu said, wiggling her fingers. Mio slammed her fist onto Ritsu's head, leaving a large lump. "Oww." the drummer moaned. "If you're not gonna be helpful, then be quiet!" Mio said sternly. Looking at Yui again, she sat on the bed. The mattress creaked with the added weight.

"Hey Yui? I'd like you to hear something. You don't need to say anything. Just listen." No response. Mio took a deep breath. "Yui. We all understand tha. t you're missing Azusa, and that you're sad that you can't see her. If it's any consolation, we miss her too. The Light Music Club just isn't the same without you two there. And Ui says that Azusa misses you just as much." "That's right Onee-chan." Ui agreed. "She's devastated. I've seen her in and out of class. She's always by herself, she never smiles anymore, she often cries. It's heart-breaking, and nothing Jun and I do helps her." "Yui, the reason we're here is to help I cannot tell you how sorry I amyou get Azusa back. We want the club back the way it was, before her accident." Mugi stepped forward. "Yui-chan. We'd like you to come to Azusa's house with us and convince her mother to let you two see each other again."

There was a small whisper. "Yui? Did you say something?" Mio asked. Then, to everyone's surprise, Yui sat up and slowly turned towards them. For the first time, they could all see how bad she was. Her hair was an unkempt mess, she was painfully thin, and her eyes were completely lifeless. Looking down, Ritsu then saw something worse. "Yui, your arms..." Following her gaze, the others were shocked to see that the undersides of Yui's arms were covered in cuts. "Yui..." they all said. Their grief-stricken friend then looked away. "Why would her mom let me see her again, after what I did?" she asked quietly. Mio took hold of her hands. "Yui, look at me." Yui didn't move. "Please." Slowly, she shifted her gaze to Mio.

"I know you can convince Azusa's mom, if you just try. We can't let things continue like this. You need to be strong and at least give it a shot, Yui. Ui has her address, and we'll all come with you for support." Falling quiet, Yui looking at her friends and sister, who all nodded. "Onee-chan, please try. It hurts to see you like this. I want the old Onee-chan back. Please." Ui said, clasping her hands together. Minutes passed as Yui contemplated. Finally, she spoke up. "Ok. I'll try." Everyone smiled at this reply. Mio then pulled Yui up and wrapped her arms around her, everyone else following suit. "We know you can do it, Yui. You're a strong girl. We'll back you up all the way, alright?" Ritsu said. A small smile found its way onto Yui's face. "Thank you. Thank you all."

With that, the group got everything together, Ui locked the house up, and they went on their way.


	5. Damage

The door opened to reveal Azusa's mom. When she saw Yui, her expression immediately darkened. "What do you want?" she demanded. "She came to talk to you." Mugi said. "I have nothing to say to her." Going to close the door, she was stopped by Mio. "Please Ms. Nakano. Just listen to what she has to say." the bassist pleaded. After some contemplation, Azusa's mom sighed. "Alright. I'll listen." "Go on, Yui." Ritsu said, giving her friend a little push. She then stepped back, along with the others. Swallowing her fear, Yui tried to slow her pounding heart. She breathed deeply, then faced her friend's mom.

"Ms. Nakano. I cannot begin to tell you how sorry I am about what happened to Azu-ny...Azusa. I have regretted it every day, and I know I cannot change what happened. I'm not expecting you to forgive me, but I would really like to be able to see her and talk to her again. It is beyond lonely without her around, and there isn't a day that goes by without her crossing my mind." she said. "It's true." Ui piped up. "I've seen them everyday. They are miserable without each other." Azusa's mom switched her gaze between the two, mulling over what was being said. "I admit that I have been incredibly clingy with your daughter, and I admit that I acted stupidly with her, but I would be willing to change that if it means getting her back." Yui continued.

Azusa's mom crossed her arms as she listened. _I think she is genuinely sorry. Maybe..._ she thought. A clicking sound drew everyone's attention. Appearing at the foot of the stairs was Azusa. "Who is it, mom?" Seeing Yui, she froze. "Y...Yui-sempai?" The kouhai could not believe her eyes. After many weeks apart, they were seeing each other again. Thinking hard, Azusa's mom switched her gaze between the seniors and her daughter. Finally, she looked at Yui again. "You truly miss her that badly?" Yui started to answer, then fell silent. She then rolled up her sleeves and revealed her arms. Azusa's mom's eyes widened at the sight. Yui rolled back her sleeves, then did something unexpected.

Dropping to her knees, she carried on talking. "Without Azusa, the Light Music club is nothing, Ms. Nakano. And we graduate after this year, so it would be really nice if we could leave some happy memories." she fought back tears, "At the very least, I would like to be there when Azusa starts walking again." She then got down on her hands. "If changing how I treat her means seeing her again, then I'll do it. So please...", the brunette chocked back a sob, "Please Ms. Nakano...please let me see Azusa again! I can't live without her! I'll do anything!" Yui then fell silent.

Azusa's mom looked down at Yui, surprised at the sight. She then looked at the other girls, who clasped their hands together and bowed their heads. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Azusa doing the same. "Well..." Minutes passed as she thought. The girls didn't move from their positions. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Azusa's mom sighed and said, "I'll think about it." 6 heads snapped up. "Really?" Yui asked, hardly believing her ears. "Yes. I'll need to talk to her father first, so don't get your hopes up." Her heart lifting for the first time in weeks, she dropped her head again. "Thank you, thank you, thank you." She said happily. Smiling, Azusa's mom looked back at her daughter. Azusa had the biggest smile she could muster on her face, tears of happiness accompanying it.

After a little more conversation, Ms. Nakano closed the door and the girls then started heading back to the Hirasawa's place. "You did it, Yui-chan." Mugi said. "Thank you everyone. Thank you all for..." Before she could finish the sentence, Yui collapsed to the ground. "Yui? Yui!" Mio called frantically. Yui lay on the ground, panting and flushed. Mio felt her forehead. "She's burning up." "Ui, call an ambulance." Ritsu instructed. "S...sure."

Later at the hospital...

Closing the door behind him, the doctor faced the worried girls. "How is she?" Mugi asked. "She's exhausted from hunger and fatigue. And some of the cuts on her arms show signs of infection. We've cleaned and bandaged them as best we can, she's being drip fed fluids, and we've given her some antibiotics to fight the infection. If it's alright with all of you, we'd like to keep her overnight as a precaution." There were no objections from the girls. "Well, if you'll excuse me..." The doctor bowed before leaving. "I had no idea she was that bad." Mio said. "Onee-chan..." The seniors looked back at Ui, who was practically in tears. "Ui-chan, please don't cry." Mugi said, hugging the junior. "This is all my fault. Why did I not watch her more closely?" Mio and Ritsu glanced at each other, unsure of what to say.

Later on, after a nurse came to check on Yui, the girls headed inside to see their friend. Yui lay silently, her breath fogging up the oxygen mask covering her nose and mouth. Unable to take the sight, Ui broke down, dropping to her knees. "Onee-chan!" The other girls did their best to comfort her. When visiting hours finished, they headed their separate ways, Ui having been allowed to remain at the hospital with her sister. Sitting by her side, she held Yui's hand, praying that she would be alright. _First Azusa-chan, now Onee-chan. It's like a bad dream..._ She was soon asleep.

When morning came round, she was aroused by a small voice. "Ui?" Stirring, Ui looked up and saw her sister looking at her. "Onee-chan?" "Hi Ui." Yui replied, smiling. "Onee-chan! You're okay." The younger sister wrapped her arms around Yui, who slowly returned the hug. "I'm sorry, Ui. I caused this to happen by not looking after myself." "Please don't apologize. You were upset about not being allowed to see Azusa-chan. I know it was very hard for you." she said, holding Yui tightly. They stayed like this for a few minutes, then Yui pulled Ui up, looking tired. "Ui, could you wait outside a bit? I'd like to sleep a bit more." "Sure. I'll let your friends know that you're okay." "Thanks."

After leaving the room, Ui sent texts to the others, then went to buy herself a drink from a vending machine. Deciding to sit outside, she found a bench and basked in the sun. The junior sipped her drink, happy that things were starting to improve. Azusa was going to be okay, Yui wasn't in serious danger, and best of all, they would be able to see each other again. "Ui!" a voice called out. Looking in the direction of the caller, she spotted the other seniors running towards her. "Hi!" she called, waving. Finishing her drink, she threw the empty can in a bin before heading to her friends. "How's she doing?" Mugi asked once they met up. "I think she's out of the danger zone now." Mio, Ritsu and Mugi breathed sighs of relief. "Do you think we'd be able to see her?" Ritsu then asked. "Well, she's sleeping right now, but if you don't mind waiting, we could at least sit with her." "That'll be okay. We can surprise her when she wakes up."

Everyone agreeing, they began to head inside when a car horn stopped them. Wondering who it was, they were all surprised to see a familiar face waving at them. "It's Azusa." Mio exclaimed. After the car had pulled up, Azusa briefly exchanged words with her mom, then awkwardly got out. Her mom driving off, the kouhai hopped towards her friends. "Azusa-chan, what are you doing here?" Mugi asked. "I came to see Yui-sempai. There's something I'd like to discuss with her. How is she?" "We're actually heading there now." "Okay." Crutches clicking, she followed the girls inside. They slowed their pace to allow Azusa to keep up. "How have you been doing recovery-wise, Azusa?" Mio asked. "Without going into details, I had a small procedure a few days back on my leg. And my wrist is considerably better. I can play guitar again, but only for short periods, so it's hard to keep up with practice." Azusa explained. "Seems like it'll be a while before we're back to how we were then." Ritsu said.

Reaching Yui's room, Ui first knocked the door, then quietly slid it open. Yui was still asleep, her quiet breathing filling the room. The oxygen mask had been replaced by a nose line. Doing their best not to wake her, the girls slipped inside. Mugi found a chair for Azusa, who gratefully sat down. Ui also noticed that Yui's bandages had been changed. Finding places to sit or stand, they waited patiently, not saying anything. There was complete silence, then music suddenly blared out from Ui's pocket, startling everyone. Realizing it was her phone, Ui frantically fumbled with it before hitting answer. Yui stirred and moaned, then shifted position slightly and kept on sleeping. The girls all breathed sighs of relief, then Ui spoke into her phone. "Hello?" she whispered, deciding to leave the room. "Hello, Ui? It's Jun." "Oh, hello Jun-chan. How are you?" "I'm alright. Why are you whispering?" "It's a long story, but Onee-chan is sleeping right now.

Jun quickly lowered her voice in response to this. "Ah, sorry. I didn't know." "It's okay. What can I do for you?" "How are things with Yui and Azusa? I haven't heard much about that." "Oh, I never thought to keep you informed. I'm sorry." "Don't worry about it. How are things with them? Are they still banned from seeing each other?" "Well, I've got good news and bad news." "Okay. What's the good news?" "With a bit of persuasion, and some help from us, Onee-chan managed to convince Azusa's mom to let them see each other again." "Hey, that's great! I'll bet they were ecstatic." "I know. We all were." Ui replied, smiling. "What's the bad news?' Jun then asked. Ui's smile shrank. "Onee-chan was so upset she barely ate or slept, and she cut herself without my knowing. As a result, she's landed in hospital, though she seems to be improving." "...I'm sorry to hear that. How is Azusa doing with her situation?"

"She's slowly improving. How long it'll take exactly is anyone's guess." "Well, I'll leave it at that. Let me know when your sister's back home and I'll see if I can swing by to see you all." "Thank you, Jun-chan. Bye." Ui said. Hanging up, she headed back into the room. Yui had remained as she was. Not wanting to make the same mistake twice, Ui switched her phone to vibrate, and gestured to the other girls to do the same. Time passed as they waited for Yui to wake up, sometimes exchanging whispers. Eventually, Yui stirred.


	6. Surprise

Opening her eyes, she yawned and stretched. "Morning Yui." Mio said. Surprised at the voice, Yui looked around. "Everyone. What are you all doing here?" she asked, sitting up. "What else? Ui told us that you were doing better, and we came to see you." Ritsu explained, ruffling the brunette's hair. Yui smiled, then spotted Azusa. "Azu-nyan, I mean...Azusa." "Hi Yui-sempai. How are you feeling?" the kouhai asked. "Better than yesterday at least. I wasn't expecting you to be here. Did you come to get your injuries checked out?"

"Actually Yui-sempai, I wanted to talk to you about something." She pushed herself up and hopped over to her friend's side. "Listen sempai, about what you said to my mom..." "I meant every word, Azusa. The reason you got into your accident was because of my stupidity. When we were apart for all that time, I realized that I had been treating you badly, what with the constant hugging, the annoying behavior, your nickname, and I made up my mind. When I told your mom that I was willing to change if it meant getting you back, I was being serious. From now on, I promise to start treating you like a normal person instead of some plaything." "I DON'T WANT THAT!" Azusa shouted suddenly. Startled, the seniors all looked at her. "Azusa?" Mio asked. Blushing at her outburst, Azusa dropped her voice. "I'm sorry." "What did you mean by that, Azusa-chan?" Mugi asked.

Leaning her crutches against the bed, Azusa grasped Yui's hands and looked squarely into her eyes. "Yui-sempai, I don't want you to change. I want you to keep being how you are with me." "But Azusa..." "Sempai, please listen." Yui shut her mouth. "While you were gone, it was the loneliest I had ever been in my life. I missed talking to you, I missed having tea and cake with you..." she blinked away tears, "I missed the way you always treated me. At first I thought that I would be able to handle it, but as time went on, I felt myself constantly pining for the attention. Yui-sempai...I'm asking you to stay the way you are. I spoke with my parents about everything, and they were surprised, but when they realized that I was being serious, they both agreed to my decision."

"..." The seniors and Ui could not believe what they were hearing. Even though Yui's behaviour had caused Azusa such trouble, she was asking for it to continue. "When you said you were being serious, how serious did you mean?" Ritsu asked. "I went so far as to bow to them the way Yui-sempai did to my mom, which is not easy to do with a busted leg." Stunned, everyone exchanged glances. Then Yui spoke up. "Azusa. Are you _absolutely_ sure this is what you want?" Azusa nodded. "I want it even more than a full recovery from my injuries. I only ask that you tone things down when we're in public. When we're by ourselves, such as during club time, then go nuts. Please."

After a moment of silence, Yui asked, "I'll ask one more time Azusa. Is this truly what you want? No second thoughts?" In response to this final question, Azusa released Yui's hands and hopped back. Then, to everyone's astonishment, she dropped to her knees. Stretching her broken leg out behind her, she got down on her hands, trying her hardest to bear the pain. "Please Yui-sempai...please...do this one thing for me..." Panting, she held the position. The seniors and Ui were stunned at what they were seeing. Yui wasted no time in giving her answer. "Okay Azu-nyan, if that's what you really want, then I'll do it. "Th...thank you..." Azusa gritted her teeth. "Azusa, please get up. You're gonna hurt yourself even more." Mio pleaded, hurrying to her side. Azusa pushed herself up, and with Mio's and Ui's help, got back to her feet, looking a bit green.

"I guess I shouldn't have done that." Looking around, Ui spotted an empty bed. "Mio-chan, let's lie her down." Nodding, they helped their friend to the bed. Lying down, Azusa held her arm over her eyes, looking sickly. "Azusa-chan, just breathe deeply." Ui instructed. Obeying, the twin-tailed guitarist did not move, willing the nausea and pain to leave. Ritsu found an empty trash can and stood nearby. After 5 agonizing minutes, Azusa began to feel better. "Are you okay, Azu-nyan?" Yui asked, concerned for her friend. Looking up, the kouhai chuckled. "Remind me never to do that again. I actually threw up from the pain last time." she said with a smile. The others all giggled. At last, things were starting to return to normal.

Later that day, Yui was declared well enough to return home and discharged. She was prescribed antibiotics and instructed to look after her cuts until they had healed more. That evening, the Light Music Club held a small celebration to welcome their return to full strength. Sawako mysteriously showed up in her usual fashion, and the evening was filled with joy, laughter and cheers.

THE END


End file.
